The Oakland Press/TIM THOMPSON
West Bloomfield Police Chief Michael Patton, left, Oakland County Commissioners Bill Dwyer and Marcia Gershenson during a press conference on mental health and violence held at the police station.

West Bloomfield Police Chief Michael Patton, left, with Oakland County Commissioners Marchia Gershenson and Bill Dwyer during a press conference on mental health and violence held at the West Bloomfield police station. Tuesday, January 22, 2013. The Oakland Press/TIM THOMPSON

That's what two Oakland County Commissioners recommended Tuesday at the West Bloomfield Police Department.

Commissioners Bill Dwyer and Marcia Gershenson held a press conference to discuss the nationwide issue of mass violence in local communities.

The bi-partisan team proposed a county study group to identify gaps in gun registration background checks and help shape future recommendations to the Michigan Legislature. Additional funding of programs treating the mentally-ill was also touched on.

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In response to the more recent shootings at Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary, several others across the nation and one closer to home, the commissioners discussed the fact that elected officials throughout America are currently investigating what policies their communities have in place to ensure their citizens' safety.

West Bloomfield's tragic loss occurred Sept. 9, when Officer Patrick O'Rourke, 39, of Fenton, was killed when responding to a call at a West Bloomfield home where a man opened fire on him. The resident, who barricaded himself in the home, later shot and killed himself.

"It has become clear: We need to do a better job protecting our children and communities from tragic shootings like those in Newtown, Aurora, Tuscon and right here in West Bloomfield," said Gershenson, D-Bloomfield Township, on Tuesday.

"There's no easy solution, no simple solutions to this type of violence," echoed Dwyer, R-Farmington Hills.

Several questions came up for Gershenson while she was formulating her recommendations, she said. Among them were: "What are the policies for background checks in Michigan?" and "Are there loopholes?"

One of the first people Gershenson thought of was West Bloomfield Chief Michael Patton, who explained the National Instant Criminal Background Check, or NICS, used by the FBI to determine a citizen's eligibility when attempting to purchase firearms.

"There are a number of databases used by law enforcement agencies to determine who should be prohibited from owning a gun," said Patton. "But those databases are only as good as the data that's put into them."

The question, nationally and locally, is: "What more can the professional mental health community do to provide inputs into (those) systems," Patton added.

Gershenson said because the West Bloomfield Police Department has been on the front lines in active shooter scenarios, the organization will have a representative on the study group. The Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority and Common Ground will also be represented.

Dwyer said he will be turning his efforts towards studying the role violent video games play in planting the seeds for these massacres.

"I don't have the solution, but something has to be done as far as these video games that people actively take part in that dehumanize people ... and in some cases, it leads to these massacres," Dwyer said.

West Bloomfield's Patton added that there are deficiencies in the reporting databases that law enforcement agencies rely upon to make decisions related to gun ownership.

"Not every person who has a mental illness is put into our system," said Patton. "We need information ... I hope our efforts here will give us a better handle."

Dwyer, a 48-year representative of the local law enforcement community, suggested the National Rifle Association as a potential partner in funding for mental health programs.

"The funding for mental illness has decreased in the past decade," said Dwyer. "I'm calling on the NRA to assist the funding."

Both commissioners said a mere assault weapon ban won't do much to stop gun violence.

Resolutions detailing the study group and mental health's role in the NICS background checks will be presented at the next Oakland County Board of Commissioners meeting. The study group will report its findings to the board no later than April 9.